Device for loading and unloading vehicles.



J. L. BRBESE, JR.

DEVICE lPOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 11111.20, 1914.

1 1 1 3, 1 9 1 Patented oct. 13, 1914.

2 SHEETS-#SHEET 1.

FL'LQTI,

. A lj* y /2 26 1MM/538x Q41., Muff/vm@ J. L. BREESE, JR. DEVICE POR LOADING AND UNLOADING VEHICLES. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2o, 1914.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAM-Es I. BREESE, Jn., oF'NEw'yoRK, N. Y.

4DEVICE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VEHICLES.

specification of Letten Parent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

Application mea January 2o, 1914. serial No. 813,152.

To all lwhom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES L. BREESE, J r., a citizen' of the United States, residing at New York, in the countyand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Loadin and Unloading Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. The invention which constitutes the subject-matter of this application relates broadly to a hoisting means, and while the saine is admirably adapted for elevating freight from the ground to a Avehicle and vicefversmit will be readily7 understood that itis not confined to this particiilar use, as it is obviousfrom the description below that the same may be applied and used with equal effectiveness toV stationary bins, gran-- ar1es, warehouses, etc. It will be equally obvious that the same can be used to elevate objects to any desired heights and is not limited in this respect tomerely raising objects froni the ground tothe bottom of a vehicle bed ,as shown.-

Another important feature of the invern tion lies in the fact that during the period of non-use the elevating platform may readily be turned -.to, vertical position and used as an end-gate o rl tail-board for the rear of the vehicle, or case of a ware-house, it may be likewise ,turned to close the opening through which the freight is moved from said elevating platform.

Other important features of the invention will appear from the detail vdescription belcw, ta en in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-4- Figure 1 is` a side view of the device as applied to atruck showing the parts in the position to raise freight from the ground to the vehicle bed. Fi ..2 is a similar side view, showing the elevating platform in its final position in raising an object from the ground; that is to say, Hush with the bottom of the vehicle. This figure also illustrates in dotted lines the position of the latform when the latter is utilized as an end) gate o r tail-board. Fig. 3 is a. top plan View of a truck, illustrating in detail'how the invention is applied thereto. Fi lis an end view taken on thelll. 4-4 ofl the .direction of thexarrows .on said .section 1ine. v l

I l Referring to the .links crossshaft 20 journaled irl-Suitable bearings is rigidly secured to to and platform ig. 3, looking in.

arms 26 about the numeral desi nates the bod' of 'a conventional type o truck, provide with a bed 11j and with ,suitablerunnng gear, including wheels 12., suitably supported from the rear end of the vehicle body is a fluid cylinder 13, provided with a piston 14 and a rod 15 projecting from the open end thereof. This rodis connected at its other end to acrossrod 16 and pivotally connected to the ends .ofthis rod 16 are arms 17 and 1 8. Pivotally connected -to arms I17" and v1.8 is afpair'of 19, which 'is rigidly connected to a provided b v a pair o f downwardly'projecting members 21, ,A

naled ina pair of bearing members 24:.v This cross-shaft is provided with a pair of stub arms 25, likewise rigidly secured thereto and the functions 'of which willl be presently described. Rigidly secured to the crossshaft 20 is oneof the ends of a.y air of elevating arms 26, the otherends' o which are pivotally7 connected to a movable 27.' RotatablyA secured to the cross-shaft 23 is one of the ends of a pair of elevating arms 28, the other ends' of which, like the.

elevating arms 26, are pivotally secured to the movable platform 27,

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to raise'an object, it is pl'acedon the 27, when it is in the position indicated in Fig. 1,- or any intermediate position. Fluid isadmitted behind the piston 14:,y which forces the same toward the forward end. This, of course,l moves the piston rodv in the direction of the arrow, which continues until the piston arrivesv at the position indicated Vin Fig. 2,.v This forward movement'of the piston rod imparts also a' forward 'movement to vthe arms 17 and 18, which in turn causes a counter-clockwise movement of the .links 1919 and 22, 22- (when viewed Lfrom lthe left side of the vehicle) about the axes of the cross-shafts 2Q and-23, 'as'y centers. These links bein xedly'fseciire as' above described, to sai cross-shafts, t e latter are simultaneously given ,a rotative movement in the same direction. This rotation of the shaft 20 immediately imparts a' m axis of. this shaftas a drawings in detail, the` Platform oyement of elevating center, while the positive rotation of the shaft 23 imparts a movement of the arms 25 around the axis of the same as a center. The outer ends of these arms, located as they are in proximity to the elevating arms 2S, are so constructed as to contact with a pair of studs 29 projecting from said arms 2S. It will therefore be apparent that a positive movement of the arms 25 will cause a simultaneous movement of the elevating arms 28.

From the above described operation of the device, it will obviously appear to those skilled in the art that, so far as the elevation of the platform 27 from the ground to the position in which it is flush with the bed is concerned, the connection between the shaft 23 and the elevating arms 28 may be a duplication of the connection between the shaft 20 and the elevating arms 26. But with a view to utilizing the platform as an end-gate I preferably employ the connection shown, so that the arms 28 may move independently of the movement of the shaft 23 and its stub arms 25.

The reasons why the platform 27 can be moved to be ush With'or perpendicular to the bed of the vehicle may be explained as follows: It is understood that the distance between the points A and B (see Fig. 2) is equal to the distance between the points C and D; also the distance between the points A and C is equal to the distance between the points B and D; hence, if lines were drawn to connect these points, they would dene a parallelogram. Although the arms 26 and 28 are bent, to all intents and purposes, they operate in their movements exactly the same as if they were straight; that is to say, as if they were the two opposite sides of a parallelogram. Consequently, when the four points A, B, C and D are all in the same plane, the platform can continue its upward movement in two ways. First, the points C and D can move at the same angular speed; in which case the four points of connection, as above described, define at any position a parallelogram; in this way, the device is used to elevate various objects. On the other hand, if the rear of the platform is raised to break the parallelogram, the point D will move in a circle of the same radius, but at a greater angular speed, and if the movement be continued, the platform will lassume the vertical position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In either case, the rear edge of the vehicle bed is preferably so situated as to arrest any further movement of the platform. When the platform is moved from its upper vertical or horizontal position, it will continue from the position where the points A, B, C and D are in the same plane downward in a horizontal position, for as soon as this intermediate position is reached the lugs 29 thereon contact with the stub arms 25, which, byA virtue of the connection previously described, causes the shafts 2O and 23 to rotate positively at the same speed. Arms 26 are preferably arranged to rotate between the arms 28, and it will be understood that they are bent, as shown, so as to enable the same to raise the platform to any position desired without having its movement arrested by contact with the vehicle body or by contact with any of the mechanism comprising my device. The pivotal points A and B are preferably located in the same horizontal lane, or substantially so, in order that the pivotal connections l and D may be made at the sides of the platform 2(,whereby the latter will not only be maintained in a horizontal plane during its upward and downward movement, but also to avoid upward and downward projections on the platform which would in the one case be in the way in loadingl and in the other case would prevent the platform from lying parallel to and against the level of the ground. In both cases, the projections would be objectionable when the platform is used as an end-gate or tail-board.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular power mechanism for operating the elevator, but asa matter of` illustration I fluid pressure operated means. Also, that I do not limit myself to the exact meclr anism shown, as many changes may be made in point of detail and other embodiments resorted to without necessarily deviating from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is 1. A device for hoisting freight from the ground to a vehicle bed, comprising pairs of elevating arms one of the ends of each of which is pivotally connected in substantially the same horizontal plane to the vehicle body, a platform to which the other ends of said arms are pivotedin a plane parallel to the aforesaid plane, and means for moving said arms and platform above and below the first mentioned plane.

2. A device for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle bed, comprising pairs of elevating arms, one of the ends of each of which is pivotally connected. in substantially the same horizontal plane to the vehicle body, a platform to which the other ends of said arms are pivoted in a plane parallel tothe aforesaid plane, and means for positively and simultaneously moving each of said arms above and below the first mentioned plane, whereby the platform is raised from and lowered to the ground.

3. A device for raising a platform from the ground to a point where it is substantially iush with the bed of a vehicle, comprising pairs of elevating arms, a cross shaft,

show therein the use of a one of the ends of each of the said elevating arms being pivotally connected in a horizontal plane to said platform, the other ends of one pair of which are rotatably connected to said cross-shaft, a

cross shaft in substantially the same horizontal plane with the aforesaid cross-shaft, and means associated with said shafts for positively and simultaneously operating each of said pairs of arms to raise the platform from and lower the same to the ground.

4:. A device for raising a platform from the ground to a point where it is substantially flush vwith the bed of a vehicle, comprisin airs of elevating arms, a cross shaft, one o tlie ends of each of the said elevating arms being pivotally connected in a horizontal plane to said platform, the other ends of one pair of which are rotatably connected to said cross-shaft, a second cross-shaft, the ends of the other pair of elevating arms being rigidly connected to the said second cross shaft in substantially the same horizontal plane with the aforesaid cross shaft, arms rigidly secured to and projecting from the first mentioned cross shaft and engaging with the first pair of the aforesaid arms, parallel arms rigidly secured to and projecting from each o-f said cross shafts, and power means for operating the last mentioned arms for raising and lowering the platform.

5. A device for hoisting frelght and other articles to a vehicle bed, comprising a platform, pairs of elevating arms, one of the ends of each of lwhich is pivotally connected in substantially a horizontal plane to said platform, and the other ends of said elevating arms pivotally connected in a substantially horizontal plane to said vehicle, and operating means for positively and simultaneously moving each of said arms above and below said last mentioned plane, whereby the platform is raised from and lowered to the ground, one of said pairs of elevating arms .movable upwardly independently of the movement of said operating means, whereby the platform is adapted to be utilized as a tail bo-ard for the vehicle.

6. A device'for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle or other bed, comprising a platform, pairs of elevating arms, one of the ends of each of which is pivotally connected in substantially a horizontal plane to said platform, andthe other ends of said elevating arms pivotally connected in a substantially horizontal plane, to said vehicle, in combination with means for moving the pivotal points on said platform abo-ve and below said last mentioned plane, at the same angular speed, said last mentioned means comprisin operating mechanism for ositively an simultaneously moving eac of second cross-shaft the. ends of the other pair of elevating arms being rigidly connected to the said second said pairs of arms from their lowermost to the uppermost position, one of the pairs of the said arms movable independently of said operating mechanism, whereby the pivotal points on the platform are adapted to move at different angular speeds.

7. A device for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle or other bed, comprising a platform, a pairs of elevating arms, one of the ends of each of which is pivotally connected in substantially a horizontal plane to said platform, and the other ends ofsaid elevating arms pivotally connected in a substantially horizontal plane to said vehicle, in combination with means for moving the pivotal points on said platform above and elow said last mentioned plane at the same angular speed, said last mentioned means comprising operating mechanism for positively and simultaneously moving each of said pairs of arms from their lowermost to the uppermost position, one of the pairs of said elevating arms rigidly secured to and the other pair yadapted to move independently o-f said operating mechanism, whereby the pivotal points on the platform are adapted to move at different angular speeds.

8. A device for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle, comprising a platform, a pair of arms, one of the ends of each of which is pivoted to said platform and the other ends of which are pivoted to said vehicle, a second pair of arms, the ends of which are similarly connected to said platform and to said vehicle, the pivotal points on said vehicle dening a plane which is parallel to the plane defined by the pivotal points on said platform, and one of the pairs of said arms located between the other pair whereby the platform may be moved upwardly and downwardly from the first mentioned plane.

9. A device for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle', comprisin a platform, a pair of arms, one of the en s of each of which is pivoted to said latform and the other. ends of which are pivoted to said vehicle, a second pair of arms, the ends of which are similarly connected to said platform and to said vehicle, the pivotal oints on said vehicle defining a plane whlch is parallel to the plane defined by the pivotal points on said platform, means rigidly connected to one pair of said arms and contacting With but movable independently of the other, whereby the platform is adapted to move in a horizontal plane flush with the truck bed or to a position at right angles to said bed, and means for operating the aforesaid means.

10; A device for hoisting freight and other articles to a vehicle, comprising a platform, a plurality of arms, one of the ends of each of which is pivoted to said platform and the other ends of which are pivoted to said ve- In testimony whereof'I aix my signature hicle, the pivotal points on sald vehicle dein the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

fining a plane which isparallel to the plane JAMES L BREESE JR defined by the pivotal points on said plat- 5 form, and means for moving said platform l Witnesses:

upwardly and downwardly from the first M. LAWSON DYER, mentioned plane; THOMAS J. BYRNE. 

